On Monday the 16th February 2004, I took part in a BBC World Service discussion of multi-culturalism with Yasmin Alibhai Brown. In this discussion, the presenter tried to entrap me into making racist comments. Then, when Mrs Brown did make a grossly racist comment, I was abruptly removed from the discussion before I could make full use of this. My voice can be heard fading out, as the presenter makes a grim attempt at thanking me for my contribution. At the end of the discussion, my name was conspicuously absent from the credits. Little wonder George Orwell based the Ministry of Truth on the BBC.

Now, 13 days, four telephone calls and two e-mails later, the BBC has provided me with a tape of the broadcast. This means we can consider what to do, now that we have objective proof of what was said.

You can hear the recording on the Internet as mp3 files. for the full broadcast, go here:

It may be thought that she did not really make a racist comment. She answered yes to a question that she might not perfectly have heard. On the other hand, suppose I had been asked this: "Do you think that black people in this country are only restrained from looting and raping by fear of the criminal law?" Had I answered yes, no matter what retractions I later made, I should have been finished as a broadcaster and probably also in all my various careers. That single word would have followed me everywhere I went. And so why not the same for Mrs Brown?

The Libertarian Alliance is minded to complain to the BBC, to the Commission for Racial Equality, and to the Metropolitan Police. Our complaint to the BBC would further ask why I was so crudely censored - was it to save Mrs Brown's reputation from further damage?

You may ask why are we minded to use laws that we want repealed. My answer is that these people will not stop until they are stopped. And one of the surest means to end a witch hunt is to turn the hunters on each other. Yasmin Alibhai Brown seems able to find racism in everything, and has made a nice career from moaning about it. Let us see how self-righteous and eager for censorship she remains after her own weapons have been turned against her!

Now, just because we are thinking about a complaint does not mean that you are in any sense excluded from the fun. Please feel free to make your own complaints. The more complaints received, and the more from all over the world, the greater the embarrassment and the greater chance of action.

BROADCAST DETAILS:

Monday 16th February 2004, 6-7pm GMT BBC World Service Newshour

POSSIBLE LAW BROKEN:

Public Order Act 1986, Part III, section 17-18

17. In this Part "racial hatred means hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins. 18-(1) A person who uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or displays any written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, is guilty of an offence if-

(a) he intends thereby to stir up racial hatred, or (b) having regard to all the circumstances racial hatred is likely to be stirred up thereby.

It is very important for there to be many complaints to the police. These people are supposed always to investigate alleged racist incidents. If they investigate Mrs Brown, we can refer to her forever after as "Yasmin Alibhai Brown, who has been investigate by the Metropolitan Police for racism". They do this to us all the time. Time to turn the tables!

Make sure to include broadcast details and details of law broken. Also give links to recordings. If you have no reply within five days, write again.

Make sure to include broadcast details and details of law broken. Complain about the closure of debate which amounted to unfair protection of one contributor and unfair treatment of another. Also give links to recordings. Say that you have complained to the police and the CRE. If you have no reply within five days, write again.

Send e-mail to [email protected] and to [email protected] - to this send because the customer service people are trained to respond, whereas editorial people hardly ever do.

If you wish to submit a letter for publication in the newspaper, it must include the sender's name, postal address and daytime telephone number.

The fun of complaining to The Independent is that it employs Mrs Brown, and is presently joining in the fuss about Ann Winterton and alleged racism in the Conservative Party. You might ask the Editor to sort out his own staff before complaining about politicians.